Senior grapplers Jake Dionne, Greg Miller, Tyler Slating and Cameron Wilkie finished the season before the MHSAA Wrestling State Finals completed on March 1.
“They gave their best effort and it just fell short,” said Clarkston Varsity Wrestling Coach Derek Moscovic. “Sometimes it happens like that. I am proud of them for being there, working hard, and setting their goals high.”
Each began the first day with losses starting with Miller in the 112-pound weigh class against Michael Volyanyuk from Farmington Hills Harrison. Volyanyuk won with a fall at 2:48.
Wilkie (119) was next on the mat and lost to Rockford’s Stephen Jendritz in a 6-2 decision. Dionne (130) lost to Joe Dombromski from Anchor Bay with a 3:48 fall while Slating (145) lost to Christian Lauderback from Walled Lake Northern, 11-6.
Wilkie began the next day with a 3-0 decision over Adam Wiscombe from Anchor Bay before ending the event with a 4-2 loss to Walled Lake Central’s Daniel Shear. Wilkie ended the season 44-10.
Dionne also went 1-1 on the second day of the event with a win over Southfield’s Keith Lee, 8-3, and a loss to Hassan Ajami from Dearborn Fordson in a pin at 1:51 to finish 39-12 overall.
Miller concluded on the tournament with a loss to Saline’s Kevin Fuller with a 1:49 fall. He finished the season with an overall 37-14 record.
Dionne also ended the season after one more match after a 9-4 loss to Plymouth’s Sofuc Nielsen to end the season with a 29-14 record.
“It just didn’t work out for them to get on the podium,” Moscovic said, adding it was a great accomplishment for the four to make it to the state finals.
“They worked hard and tried to get there,” he said.
“The level of competition at the state finals is extremely high. Everybody there is competing for a state title or to be on the podium. Just to be there means you are one of the top 16 kids in the state and that is an honor.”
It is also a boost as they leave high school and head into the future.
“Athletics is a gate way for the rest of their lives,” Moscovic said. “The lessons they learned in wrestling and competing will carry on. They will go on to have successful lives and hold on to what they have had and be proud of it. It just wasn’t their day.”
It will also help next year’s returners and wrestlers just joining varsity.
“We always lead by example,” Moscovic said. “We had a lot of team members who were at the finals who supported them. Hopefully it motivated them to be there, work even harder in the off season, to set their goals and work every day towards them. Anytime you have someone who walks before you it shows you what needs to be done. It is a quiet form of leadership.”